


Fragility in Warm Places

by orphan_account



Series: Strange Things Are Happening to Me [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Mild Humor, Shrinking, like about 2 ft tall to be specific, small people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:07:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25721068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When a planet’s atmosphere doesn’t play nice with Keith’s galra biology he ends up in pain and surrounded by a world that’s just too big and too loud. He never expected comfort and support from Lance, yet there they were together.
Relationships: Keith & Lance (Voltron)
Series: Strange Things Are Happening to Me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888108
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

“Keith, I can’t even see you anymore in this dang fog. Where are you?” whined Lance loudly.

He didn't get a direct answer but instead heard heavy breathing and whimpering.

“Uhh, buddy? Is that you?” Lance called nervously. He hoped that it wasn’t some bizarre alien creature that he couldn’t see. Allura and Coran had described some ridiculous yet fearsome creatures out there in the universe.

There was a thud and a crunching noise, followed by a yell that turned into more of a sob. And it was definitely Keith’s voice.

“Quiznak” Lance muttered. “Talk to me, Keith!”

“Here” a quiet, breathless voice replied.

Lance followed where it came from and got close enough to see through the fog.

Keith paladin armor and undersuit were laying, crumpled, on the ground with no Keith in sight.

“Wait, what?” said Lance. A groan came from the armor and something under it moved.

Possibly against his better judgement Lance knelt down and shifted the armor until he saw that whatever it was was stuck in the undersuit. He found the zipper, reached under the fabric and pulled out...

Keith, but a little less than maybe two feet tall. Completely proportional.

“Aww man, am I dreaming? How is this real?” said Lance incredulously. Keith sat on the ground with the undersuit covering his lower half. Lance realized that Keith was naked and felt rather awkward. That is, until he saw how Keith was hunched over and whimpering lowly, his eyes wet with tears that he was holding back from falling.

Lance had never seen Keith vulnerable and open like this. It filled him with concern and honestly hurt him deeply.

“Hey, are you alright?” he asked sincerely.

“L-leg. I think it’s broken” whispered Keith, sounding as if speaking loudly was difficult and he was having some trouble breathing.

He really looked bad.

“I’m sorry. I bet a pod can fix you up. Let’s call the others and figure out what’s going on” replied Lance. He turned on the microphone in his helmet.

“Guys, you there? We gotta end this mission early. Keith got... hurt, and it looks pretty bad.”

“Oh no. Is he okay?” asked Hunk.

Lance scoffed. “I just said he’s not. We’re gonna be there in a few minutes.”

“Alright, stay safe. We’ll be waiting, and Coran will get a healing pod ready” Shiro said calmly but with worry tinging his voice.

Lance ended the call and turned to Keith. He was crying freely now, his face in his hand. He wasn’t acting like himself, even beyond the fact that his leg was injured.

“Keith. We have to fly back to the castle. I know it sucks but I’ll probably have to carry you.”

Keith looked up and reached his arms out, without hesitation. Lance gently pulled Keith into an embrace, resting a hand on the back of Keith’s head, cupping the entire thing in it. Keith sighed.

“Can I just hold you for a minute?” asked Lance. Keith nodded. He leaned against Lance’s legs and side, his head not even reaching Lance’s shoulders.

He looked so tired and aching. What had happened in the short minute that they were separated in the fog?

“I don’t know what’s going on, but we’re gonna figure it out” soothed Lance, sliding his hand down Keith’s hair.


	2. Chapter 2

Lance stepped into the cockpit of the blue lion. He was careful not to bother the bundle in his arm while he sat in the pilot’s chair.

Keith was wrapped up in his (now much too large for him) undersuit. Lance had him in it and held him with one arm while making a couple trips to deposit the pieces of Keith's armor into the lion with them.

Letting Lance carry him without complaint was another sign that things weren’t right with Keith. Well, besides him being less than a fourth of his normal size. Lance had seen Keith angry and frustrated but he’d never seen him so much as shed a single tear before this. His mental state was... compromised. Anyone’s would be, though, Lance reasoned.

Keith slept weakly the whole way to the castle ship. Everyone gasped at the sight of him when they arrived.

“Woah, this is fascinating!” said Pidge in awe.

“This transformation isn’t a common thing for humans, is it?” asked Allura.

Hunk shook his head. “Nah, this is weird, man. Is- is it contagious?”

“Guys, quiet down” chided Shiro. “Don’t hurt his ears. Keith, are you awake?” he asked quietly.

Keith’s eyes fluttered open. “Shiro” he whispered. “Everything hurts...”

Shiro’s eyes widened. Keith wasn’t usually one to complain. Lance frowned and gently handed Keith over to Shiro who took him into the infirmary.

Coran’s face fell when he realized the situation.

“Oh, you poor thing- I should have anticipated this, my boy. I apologize.”

“You know what's going on with him?” asked Shiro.

“Yes, I’m afraid I’ve seen this before. The atmospheres of some planets are laced with gasses that are strong enough to weaken creatures to the point of warping their physical form. I’ve only ever seen it in small animals - you know, garflexems or tubeknots and the like - never a bipedal humanoid. But it seems galra aren’t immune to the effects.”

Shiro and Keith only understood about seventy-five percent of what Coran said, but they got the gist. Keith’s galra side being susceptible to foreign alien illnesses was worrisome and not something they had given much consideration.

“I’m sure you’re very sore, Keith. Your body is in a softened, fragile state at the moment. We should use a pod to heal any bruises or broken bones that you may have. Did you fall?”

Keith nodded. “I got dizzy and tripped. I think my leg broke.”

“Ah” said Coran. He and Shiro helped Keith into a healing pod. Only when he was asleep, in a sort of suspended animation as the pod worked, did Coran turn to Shiro and say what was truly on his mind.

“This is very serious, Shiro.”

“I was afraid you’d say something like that” admitted Shiro, a hollow feeling in his stomach. “Is it permanent?”

“Rarely recovery is possible. I haven’t seen it myself to be honest. But Keith isn’t a small animal- galra are resilient and you humans have proved to be as well.”

“True enough, and I’d never give up on Keith. He’d do the same for me. Listen, Coran, I have to ask you something.”

Coran gave a nod to go on.

“Ever since Lance found him like this he’s been, sort of, hyper emotional? I mean, he’s injured and hurting, so it’s completely understandable, but it just seems...”

“Off? Like he’s not himself? Yes, this condition weakens the body _and_ the mind. Since stress worsens pain this symptom is one of the biggest road blocks to recovery. It’s imperative that Keith remains stable emotionally, otherwise there’s even less hope for him to return to normal.”

Shiro thought of the way Lance held Keith caringly and protectively. Those two had their issues between them but when it mattered they had each other’s backs. The leader had no doubts that the team would support their fellow paladin however they could.


	3. Chapter 3

When Keith emerged from the healing pod, he walked out on tiny feet, staring up to everyone tiredly.

Lance was the first to crouch down and wrap a blanket around his shoulders.

”You okay?” Lance asked softly.

Keith nodded. “Yeah. Thanks... for everything.”

Lance smiled and nodded.

Coran explained the seriousness of Keith’s condition to him. Keith could hardly keep his eyes from watering.

Right. Emotions. Keith wasn’t good with those right now. Pidge tried to lighten the mood.

”Dude, I just realized. I’m not the smallest one around anymore!” she chuckled.

Keith wiped his face. “It’s what’s inside that counts. I’m larger in spirit” he chuckled back.

Lance acted offended. “No way, my spirit is medically obese!”

“That’s because you overfeed it” said Keith.

Everyone enjoyed the release of tension. When they left the infirmary they kept an eye on Keith walking next to them wrapped in his blanket. It dragged behind him and Lance worried about him tripping.

”Hey, maybe you could borrow one of my shirts instead?” Lance suggested. Keith shrugged.

Eventually the large, winding castle became too big for Keith’s short legs. He let Shiro carry him.

Shiro held Keith close, keeping him warm and safe. He never got to be there for his surrogate brother when Keith was a small child, and holding him now, so small against his chest, was making him a bit emotional.

Keith didn’t mind at all. Any stubbornness he had when he was normal sized was cast aside for a desire to be comforted. It wasn’t really something he could help.

Later Lance drowned Keith in a spare shirt and laughed.

”Oh my gosh. That’s adorable” said Lance.

Keith pouted but blushed a little around his ears, secretly kind of enjoying the attention.

Lance grinned. Maybe things would be okay and they could make this work until Keith got better after all.


End file.
